This paper proposes a new out-of-plane loading system for masonry walls. Uniform distributed loads are applied to masonry walls by a rubber airbag. The test system was developed aiming at obtaining basic mechanical characteristics of simply supported masonry walls in the out-of-plane direction. In this study, two kinds of structural tests were conducted (a) to verify the developed loading system by using an aluminum plate specimen, and (b) to evaluate the out-of-plane performance of a brick wall specimen. Consequently, the test results clarified (a) good agreements between the experimental measurements and theoretical estimations, and (b) vulnerability of the brick wall. This paper proposes a new out-of-plane loading system for masonry walls. Uniform distributed loads are applied to masonry walls by a rubber airbag. The test system was developed aiming at obtaining basic mechanical characteristics of simply supported masonry walls in the out-of-plane direction. In this study, two kinds of structural tests were conducted (a) to verify the developed loading system by using an aluminum plate specimen, and (b) to evaluate the out-of-plane performance of a brick wall specimen. Consequently, the test results clarified (a) good agreements between the experimental measurements and theoretical estimations, and (b) vulnerability of the brick wall.
RC beams without stirrups on couplers were tested to investigate the shear performance. Seventeen specimens were designed and constructed with different structural details such as existence of coupler, coupler length, location of coupler, and existence of stirrups on coupler. In particular, the existence of standard couplers did not significantly affect on beam shear strengths unless stirrups located at the ends of couplers yielded. Moreover, a method to consider the specific details of this kind of structure in the AIJ design equations was presented to evaluate the shear strengths. Its applicability was examined through the test results.
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